Warriors, The Tale of Darkstorm, Book 1, The Dream
by pokewiz1999
Summary: The story of Darkstorm. All the cats were made by me or Tealslushie. I'm not putting a character list because I haven't thought of all the characters. This is long after Bramblestar so all the cats are made up. I thought of Pinetail right when i put him in the story. I'm not writing in this very much because I've lost interest, but, I'm going to try and start writing in it again.
1. Prologue

Prologue:

Darkstorm stepped into the ThunderClan camp with his mouth full of prey. He was hunting by night, which is what he's used to, and got an impressive catch. He was able to find three mice and a vole. He dropped two of the mice and the vole onto the Fresh Kill pile, and took the last mouse for himself.

After finishing his meal he went to the warriors den to sleep. He always slept in the far corner, away from everyone else, since He was used to sleeping by himself and wasn't a fan of crowds. Despite how subtle she was he could tell that Gingerwhisker was moving her bed closer to his. He didn't know why she was but it annoyed him. She was already curled up, asleep when he got there.

As he curled up in his nest to sleep, he was disturbed by an odd dream. He was in pitch darkness. He ran for as long as he could and got nowhere. Then he could smell blood. Soon he felt the sticky feeling of blood on his paws. He tried vainly to run but it was as if the blood glued him down. Then he heard an unfamiliar voice speak in his ear. "Blood will return, more powerful than ever. Be ready for what lies ahead."

Darkstorm woke with a start, and saw Gingerwhisker glaring at him.

"Can you stay quiet?! I'm surprised you didn't wake Riverclan with your annoying mumbling!"

He ignored her and stepped out of the den. He could tell it would be a while before dawn, but he knew he wouldn't be able to fall asleep. He sat on halfrock, wondering what his dream meant. He knew whatever it meant it was something bad.


	2. Chapter 1

Gingerwhisker padded out of the warriors den a little after dawn and tasted the air. She quickly picked up the scent of Darkstorm, who was sitting on a ledge, deep in thought. She yawned and saw that the Fresh Kill pile was a bit low.

Then her apprentice, Mountainpaw, came running out of the apprentices den.

"What are we doing today Gingerwhisker?!"

"I thought we'd hunt. The pile looks low."

"Ok!"

As they walked toward the thorn tunnels she glanced back at Darkstorm, who was still sitting there staring into space.

She wondered what was troubling him as she walked through the thorn barrier.

Mountainpaw was already waiting at the entrance, kneading her paws on the ground.

"Can we go please?!"

"Ok, ok I'm coming."

"Why are you always gazing at Darkstorm?" Mountainpaw asked with a mischievous grin.

"He was acting weird. He kept mumbling and fidgeting in his sleep and now he's staring into space." Gingerwhisker said, somewhat annoyed.

"Suuuure." Mountainpaw said before running ahead.

Gingerwhisker felt hot with anger.

_I don't like that creepy_ tom.

She thought to herself. Mountainpaw was just being annoying.

"Hey! Wait up!" Gingerwhisker yelled to Mountainpaw.

She caught up to her to see her scenting the air. Suddenly her ears perked up and Gingerwhisker watched her go into a hunters crouch. Eventually she saw that she was stalking a mouse. Although she was hunting a mouse Mountainpaw was in a hunters crouch to stalk a vole and the mouse easily heard her and darted off.

"Mouse dung!"

"You'll get the next one. But you were in a crouch for stalking voles, not mice."

"Oh."

Gingerwhisker remembered that Mountainpaw was only apprenticed a few days before.

She watched Mountainpaw scent the air again and watched her stalk a shrew, using the right crouch this time. She pounced and dispatched it with a swift bite to the neck.

"Excellent!"

Mountainpaw held up her shrew, looking proud of herself.

"Thanks!" she said, through the shrew.

When they got back to camp Mountainpaw had caught another shrew and a vole, and Gingerwhisker caught two blackbirds. She put her catch in the pile and looked around camp. Astonished, she saw that Darkstorm was still sitting on the ledge.

"Take something to the elders." she told Mountainpaw.

Mountainpaw grabbed her shrews and a blackbird and ran to the elders den.

It was nearly sunhigh so Gingerwhisker decided to take a nap in the warriors den. She wanted to ask Darkstorm what was bothering him but hardly anyone talked to him and the ones who have said it's scary talking to him from the coldness in his voice. She started to wonder, as she walked to the warriors den, what could make a cat so cold hearted his clanmates didn't want to talk to him.


	3. Chapter 2

Darkstorm was still wondering what the prophecy meant until sunhigh. After awhile he decided to go hunt to clear his mind.

As he walked to the thorn tunnel Goldstripe head butted him hard in the shoulder.

"What's the matter loner? Can't take a full warrior?!"

Darkstorm just got up and walked through the thorn barrier.

"Yeah just run with your tail between your legs!"

Darkstorm padded into the forest and tasted the air. He quickly scented a mouse and soon saw it scuffling around. He dropped into a crouch and started stalking the mouse. Suddenly it ran off for no reason. He spun his head around and saw Goldstripe padding up.

"Aw the loner can't even catch a mouse." He said in a fake pitiful voice.

"I would've gotten it if you stayed quiet!"

"Hey don't blame me for your pitiful miss."

Darkstorm bit back a sharp retort and padded back to camp.

"Aww you're giving up already?"

"If I keep trying you'll just ruin my every try!"

As he walked towards the thorn barrier Blackspot came out.

"Are you two bickering again?! Instead of fighting I'll give you something helpful to do. Goldtail go join the hunting patrol that's about to leave."

Darkstorm watched Goldtail run through the thorn barrier.

Darkstorm I want you to hunt by yourself. I know you like being alone."

Darkstorm said nothing and stalked off into the forest. He ran his claws down a tree in frustration.

"Why must Goldtail always nag me about being a loner?! I was a clan cat before I joined ThunderClan!"

Still aggravated Darkstorm padded through the forest and found himself at the entrance to the tunnels. He looked in, shuddered, and padded away.

He stopped and tasted the air. He picked up the scent of a squirrel and started stalking it. He quickly realized that he was using the wrong stalk and the squirrel noticed him. He yowled in frustration and leaped at it but it was already headed for a tree.

"Mouse dung."

After awhile he realized his focus was off and he wondered why. Then he remembered what he had said earlier.

_I was a clan cat before I came here._

He thought. The coldness in his eyes faded into sadness.

_I must not think of that!_

He though angrily but he knew he wouldn't forget it so he just padded back to camp with his head and tail drooping.


	4. Chapter 3

Gingerwhisker woke the next day a little after dawn. Darkstorm wasn't in camp and she guessed he was hunting. The dawn patrol was getting ready to leave. there was Rattail and Sunheart and, the leader of the patrol, Blackspot, who's also the clan deputy.

She decided to find Mountainpaw and go do battle training. When she looked in the apprentices den Mountainpaw wasn't there.

"Cherrypaw! Where's Mountainpaw?"

"I think she's on a hunting patrol." She said sleepily.

"Oh, ok."

Gingerwhisker backed out of the apprentices den and looked around the camp. She saw Darkstorm putting his prey on the fresh kill pile. A few heart beats later Gingerwhisker's best friend, Mistycloud, walked out of the warriors den. She looked around and when she saw Gingerwhisker she ran over to her.

"Hi Gingerwhisker!"

"Hi Mistycloud. You should've gotten up earlier. Crestpaw will be itching to get going."

"Oh yeah! I was planning on taking him to the Shadowclan border. See ya later!"

She went into the apprentices den and came out with Crestpaw with her

"I think I'll come too."

Gingerwhisker mewed.

"Mountainpaw is on a hunting patrol so I don't have much else to do."

"Ok then."

She followed Mistycloud and Crestpaw out the the thorn tunnel. Right when they got out Mistycloud went running to the Shadowclan border. Gingerwhisker followed swiftly behind Crestpaw then suddenly Mistycloud stopped and Crestpaw bumped into her.

"Watch it!"

"Sorry..."

Mistycloud started leading them along the Shadowclan border. Suddenly rabbit ran across the border and a cat followed it. Gingerwhisker recognized Moonrise from Shadowclan. She looked back at the border and saw Rockfur and Pinetail standing at the border looking at the ThunderClan cats with hostility in their eyes. Moonrise came back, with the rabbit dangling from his jaws, saw the ThunderClan cats and immediately he ran onto his side of the border.

"Why are you trespassing?!" Mistycloud asked angrily.

"I didn't notice the border when I was chasing that rabbit!"

Moonrise yelled back. Gingerwhisker noticed they were acting unusually hostile. Rockfur stepped forward so she was on the border and curled her lip in a snarl.

"Why don't you mind your own business?!"

She snarled.

"It is our business since you crossed the border!"

Gingerwhisker retorted. Suddenly Rockfur jumped at them along with the rest of the patrol.

"Go find help!"

Mistycloud yelled to Crestpaw. He quickly ran off towards camp. Gingerwhisker knew, as she fought with Rockfur, that they wouldn't win. She was pinned down by Rockfur only for a few heartbeats then the weight was lifted off of her. Looking up she saw Darkstorm battling with Rockfur. He quickly made her back off and started fighting both Moonrise and Pinetail at the same time. Mistycloud staggered up and watched in amazement as Darkstorm caused both cats to back off.

"Traitor!"

Rockfur yelled before running back into Shadowclan territory. Darkstorm seemed unnerved by what she said and stalked off.

"He's a ray of sunshine..."

Mistycloud muttered. As they continued walking down the Shadowclan border she wondered what Rockfur meant when she called Darkstorm a traitor.


	5. Chapter 4

Gingerwhisker walked into camp with three mice, and put them on the Fresh Kill pile.  
She saw Blackspot organizing the sunhigh patrol and walked over to listen.

"Goldtail! You'll lead the sunhigh patrol take Gingerwhisker and...Darkstorm."

Blackspot seemed hesitant to put Darkstorm on the patrol. She guessed he hardly ever went on patrols.

At the sound of his name Darkstorm looked at Blackspot, jumped from the ledge and walked over. Gingerwhisker had never been anywhere close to him. The last time she was near him was when he fought the ShadowClan and he was far away most of the time. Blackspot was one of the largest cats in the clan but Darkstorm was easily taller than him! And his claws stuck out of his paws, but Gingerwhisker guessed he might hold them out partially.

"Darkstorm you're on the sunhigh patrol with Gingerwhisker and Goldtail."

Darkstorm's claws instantly slid out at Goldtail's name and Gingerwhisker realized he didn't keep his claws partially out. In reality his claws were giant! At least twice the size of a normal cat's.

"I don't want to hear about you bickering with Goldtail during this patrol understand?"

Darkstorm just gave a small nod and turned his dark blue eyes on Gingerwhisker for a few heartbeats. For some reason her heart beated faster as she met his stare. After a few heartbeats he walked away and sat by the thorn tunnel to wait for Goldtail.

Gingerwhisker wondered why her heart started to beat faster but it had slowed and Goldtail was coming so she chose to forget about it and followed Darkstorm and Goldtail out the thorn tunnel.

Once everyone was out of the thorn barrier Goldtail ran off to the WindClan border. Darkstorm kept pace right behind him and Gingerwhisker followed behind. Goldtail began to slow down and stopped.

"Hey Darkstorm! See if you can find the WindClan border."

He mewed with a smug grin.

"Don't treat me like an apprentice Goldtail."

He replied calmly. Gingerwhisker was told of the way he spoke but the coldness in his voice still scared her.

"Why not? You're not clanborn so you probably need all the help you can get!"

Darkstorm's claws slid out.

"I've clearly learned enough to be a warrior."

He replied cooly.

"I think Eaglestar is just being soft with you! I've heard that Firestar always took in rogues. I don't think your fit to be a warrior! You're just a worthless loner!"

Gingerwhisker could see the insult had stung Darkstorm and she was worried he'd attack Goldtail. Instead he just stalked off.

"That was mean!"

Gingerwhisker scolded Goldtail. Without waiting for a reply she ran after Darkstorm. She quickly caught up with him and walked beside him. He didn't say anything or do anything different and Gingerwhisker started to wonder if he noticed her.

"Why did Goldtail call you a loner?"

She asked calmly. He kept walking but replied.

"You clearly don't know how I came to ThunderClan."

Suddenly he stopped and sat down.

"I came to ThunderClan as a loner. Eaglestar took me in and immediately had me do a warrior assessment. At the time my name was Dark. After that day I was Darkstorm. The reason my name was Darkstorm is because there was a huge storm the day I came. A lot of the cats told me I smelt of Shadowclan and I said it was because I lived in Shadowclan territory for awhile."

Then he got up and stalked off again. Gingerwhisker didn't want to go find Goldtail so she decided to hunt. And she wondered, yet again, what made Darkstorm so cold.


	6. Chapter 5

Gingerwhisker padded back into camp with two mice and saw Blackspot talking with Goldtail. After putting her prey on the pile she walked over to Blackspot and he immediately looked up at her.

"Have you seen Darkstorm?"

"No, why?"

"He hasn't returned from your border patrol."

Gingerwhisker figured Darkstorm wouldn't want to be around Goldtail for awhile but Blackspot continued.

"Goldtail says that Darkstorm was yelling at him over nothing, and when Goldtail said he was being rude he left."

"But tha-"

She was stopped mid-sentence by the taste of fur in her mouth and she realized Goldtail slapped his tail over her mouth.

"Excuse us a second."

He then gestured for her to follow him. They walked to the abandoned twoleg nest.

"What do you want?"

"I need to get on Blackspot's good side so when Eaglestar dies he'll make me deputy"

Gingerwhisker was shocked by what Goldtail was saying.

"How can you be planning your own leaders death?!"

Goldtail just shrugged.

"Eaglestar won't live forever."

Gingerwhisker had heard enough. She turned her back on Goldtail and started walking back to camp. She hadn't realized how dark it was getting and soon it was completely dark. Then she heard something rustling, too loudly to be prey.

"Who's there?!"

She said somewhat quietly. She saw ears flick up and realized it was a cat. ThunderClan by the scent. She stalked towards it and as she moved closer the other cat moved farther away. Eventually got sick of this and pounced at the cat.

"Hey!"

She realized to late that it was Darkstorm. He ducked and she fell flat on the ground.

"Get your nose fixed!"


	7. Chapter 6

After Gingerwhisker's near miss Darkstorm stalked back into the forest. But instantly he heard Gingerwhisker pursuing him. He rolled his eye and kept walking.

"Hey wait!"

He didn't stop walking but she quickly caught up to him.

"Hey! Shouldn't you be back at camp?"

"Why should I be?"

"Blackspot's worried and don't you need to sleep?"

"I need to sleep but I'm not sleeping in the warriors den."

"What?! Why not?"

"I'd rather not sleep with Goldtail, now good night."

As he stopped talking he walked under some tree roots he curled up to sleep. Only a few heartbeats after he closed his eyes he felt fur against his side. His eyes flew open and he lifted his head to see Gingerwhisker curled up next to him. She looked right back at him.

"Even if you don't want to sleep in the warriors den you should still appreciate a little company."

Then she put her head down to sleep. Darkstorm figured it wasn't worth arguing about, and he liked Gingerwhisker's company, though he wouldn't admit it. He just laid his head back down and closed his eyes.


	8. Chapter 7

When Darkstorm woke the next day he opened his eyes to see that he was nose to nose with Gingerwhisker. Only a heartbeat after he woke she opened her eyes. They both drew their heads back and, awkwardly, walked out from under the tree roots.

"I'm going to hunt before I go back to camp."

He announced.

"Alright. I'll see you at camp. Maybe."

Gingerwhisker said before walking off in the direction of camp.

Darkstorm walked back into camp later with two mice and a vole. He saw Gingerwhisker talking with Blackspot at the edge of the clearing and after he dispensed his prey Blackspot motioned him over.  
"Where were you last night?"

"I wanted to sleep alone."

Then Blackspot turned to Gingerwhisker.

"And you were with him?"

"Umm..."

Then Goldtail suddenly stood up from where he was eating.

"I saw them! They were sleeping together under some tree roots!"

Then he turned his angered gaze onto Darkstorm.

"And you have no right to steal her from me!"

Before Darkstorm could defend himself Goldtail pounced on him with his claws unsheathed. Darkstorm rolled over so he was on top of Goldtail and held him down by his throat.

"Enough!"

Darkstorm looked up to see Eaglestar looking down at them from highledge. He jumped down the rock tumble and stood beside Darkstorm.

"Let him go!"

Darkstorm took his paw off Goldtail's throat and let him up.

"Goldtail! Give Darkstorm a chance to defend himself!"

"Fine..."

"I didn't ask Gingerwhisker to come with me, she followed me."

"There so Gingerwhisker followed Darkstorm by her own free will. Goldtail don't start another skirmish again!"

"Yes Eaglestar..."

Eaglestar went back up the rock tumble, Goldtail went back to his meal, and Darkstorm headed for the ledge he sits on. Yet again he wondered about the prophecy.

_Blood will return more powerful then ever. Be prepared for what lies ahead._


	9. Chapter 8

Gingerwhisker padded out the thorn tunnel. After that show she wanted to be alone. She noticed Goldtail watching her and just ignored him.

She ran through the forest not trying to go to a certain place, but letting her paws lead her. She found herself in front of the tree she and Darkstorm were under.

She crawled underneath and looked in. She saw where the grass was pressed down from where she and Darkstorm were sleeping. She could still smell Darkstorm's scent and she suddenly had a weird feeling in her stomach. She decided, then, to walk out.

She suddenly heard loud rustling near her. She scented the air and the scent was unfamiliar to her. She slowly stalked forward until she saw a clearing. There was another cat sniffing the clearing. The cat looked small so she figured it was young.

"Hey!

The cats ears perked up and it looked around wildly. Gingerwhisker padded out of the bushes.

"What are you doing here?! This is ThunderClan's territory!"

The young cat suddenly didn't look frightful, but hostile.

"We will rule the whole lake!"

Before Gingerwhisker could reply the cat leaped on her. She leaped aside barely before the cat could land on her. She suddenly noticed the cat had a collar but something was sticking out of it.

"Who are you?!"

The cat didn't answer. It attacked her again and this time it landed on her back. It raked her back with it's hind claws. She rolled over so she was on top of him. But he turned so he was upright and pushed upward sending her flying across the clearing.

She expected to feel claws running down her side but she just heard a cat screech. She opened her eyes and saw the small cat pinned under Darkstorm's weight.

"Darkstorm?"

The young cat scrambled out from under him and bolted through the trees.

"That's the second time I've had to do that." He said. "You sure seem to attract a lot of trouble."

She felt that weird feeling in her stomach again. But before she could reply he stalked off away from camp. She followed him and was soon walking next to him.

"Going to sleep outside of camp again?"

"Going to follow me again?"

"No, I just wanted to say thanks"

"Well you clearly needed help."

He seemed to be acting somewhat sour.

"Are you grumpy from what Goldtail said?"

"Which saying? The "Worthless loner" one or the "Terrible warrior" one?"

"Neither. The one where he said he likes me."

"Why would that upset me?"

"Umm... Nevermind."

"... Whatever."

She stopped walking and watched him stalk into the forest.


	10. Chapter 9

Gingerwhisker padded back into camp to see everyone gathered beneath highledge. Goldtail was on highledge, however, and not Eaglestar. She ran up to Blackspot, who looked horrified.

"What happened?!"

He turned his head to her and she saw sadness in his eyes.

"Eaglestar is dead!"

"What?! How could this happen?!"

"We have no idea. Goldtail went to talk with him and he came out and told us. Whitepool is checking him."

"How could he have died?!"

Blackspot shrugged.

"He was getting old..."

Before Gingerwhisker could respond Blackspot jumped up onto highledge.

"Cats of ThunderClan! We are all saddened and shocked by Eaglestars sudden death. But we must carry on with our duties. Ratail! Take Crestpaw and Goldtail on a hunting patrol. I will go to the moonpool tonight."

As he went into Eaglestar's den to say his final goodbyes, Darkstorm came into camp and he looked around wildly. Gingerwhisker ran up to him.

"What's going on? Are we being invaded?"

"Eaglestar died..."

He suddenly stop looking around and looked straight at her. His cold eyes turned sad and he slowly padded out of camp.

"Gingerwhisker!"

Gingerwhisker looked behind her to see Mountainpaw running up to her.

"Can we train? We haven't in days!"

"Alright come on."

As they padded out the thorn tunnel Mountainpaw got that mischievous grin again.

"I heard you slept with Darkstorm under a tree."

Gingerwhisker suddenly felt hot with embarrassment.

"That's none of your business."

"I get it."

Mountainpaw said before running ahead. Gingerwhisker shook her head in frustration and padded after Mountainpaw.


End file.
